Parkinson Wellness Projects

Don and Bailey will tell us about:

• the history of this little organization and the merger that produced what is now the single Parkinson’s charity in Victoria; and
• the exercise and counselling programs offered to a growing number of people with Parkinson’s, and the benefits of both service offerings to the participants. 

Don Manning, Board Chair

Don joined the Board to help with fundraising and, as the original Chair of the Marketing, Communications and Fundraising Committee, was the architect of a significant shift in PWP policy, away from charging for exercise classes and financing PWP activities through broadly-based community donations.  Don gets immense personal satisfaction from: “ being involved in my community, being connected with others and hopefully using my experience and skills to make a difference.” Don has been volunteering since graduating from UVIC in 1969, serving on boards of a long list of charitable organizations.  He enjoyed a 35-year career in the retail sector, which included senior executive roles in mid-sized Canadian companies and ownership of a small business.  Don and Katherine have been married for 50+ years and have two daughters and three grandchildren.

Bailey Martin

Bailey graduated from Camosun College with a Bachelor of Athletic and Exercise Therapy as a Certified Athletic Therapist and a Clinical Exercise Physiologist.  In her educational experiences, she was drawn towards working with clients across a spectrum of neurological conditions, and initially pursued this at a private neurological rehabilitation clinic.  In that time, she was motivated by her experiences with clients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and sought to deepen her knowledge in the field by becoming a Parkinson Wellness Recovery (PWR) Therapist.

Bailey grew up in Kamloops, BC, and after travelling and living abroad, she has called Victoria home since 2004.  She has various interests including travel, archery, running, and cycling.  She is driven by a want to continue learning and developing her skills, and enjoys the prospect of taking on challenges.  In her role as the Executive Director at PWP, she looks forward to bringing this drive to help the organization thrive.